The Temple of Asroth Ra'aj
by Kythinax
Summary: This is a novel of the Old Republic during the period of the Old Sith Wars, after Revan. It revolves around a Sith Master named Darth Malefice and a Jedi Knight who cross paths trying to unlock the secrets of a newly discovered temple.
1. Chapter 1

Prologue

_Dromund Kaas – Citadel of the Council_

3643 B.B.Y.

The dark halls of the Citadel echoed with the click of Kaliya Tosk's heels as she strode purposefully toward the meeting chamber. Around her, apprentices and masters, Marauders and Assassins, all turned and shifted to get a better look at the figure walking to her doom. The dimly lit halls offered the voyeurs cover to hide their gaze but Kaliya could feel it through the Force; the lust as men, and some women, gazed at her flawless features, and the jealousy of others whom every conceivable manipulation of the Force would not grant them what she naturally possessed. Kaliya didn't care. She was used to it. She had known she was beautiful since she was 10 years old and coerced one of her class mates to give her testing answers.

They had hardly known each other at the time, both new arrivals to the academy on Korriban, both taken from war-torn worlds that the Republic had abandoned to the conflicts' ravages, both chosen out of thousands to be worthy of Sith training. Still, it had taken only a bat of her eye-lashes and a turn of the head to get him to give up the answers that he had worked so hard to get, and that she hadn't spent a day worrying about. She never forgot the look on his face – the adoration and longing in his eyes – and had seen it many times since.

Now, at 24 galatic-standard seasons and standing 5'10", Kaliya had developed into an unparalleled beauty. Her thick dark hair, enriched with a slight shade of red – from her mother – cascaded in waves past her shoulders. Her red lips, a contrast to the pale skin of the rest of her face, and her deep blue eyes had been assets to her over the years. Beguiling to men and enraging to women, Kaliya's looks often disarmed her opponents into thinking she was soft – most didn't live to know differently. Her long limbs belied the strength underneath and her impressive height – a disadvantage to most women in saber fights – was actually a help to her and her dual-bladed lightsaber.

So the looks she received now were nothing new. Yet as she walked she realized that for the first time, the looks were not simply of lust or jealousy but of curiosity. She smiled to herself wryly, unsurprised. This day was different than all others than proceeded it. Only a week ago she had been an apprentice to a haggard old Sith Warrior on the backside of his prime. Now, she was masterless and summoned before the Sith Council – either to meet her doom, or her future. The last week had indeed been interesting.

Kaliya had been apprentice to Darth Onamu for nearly 3 years. She had learned little in that time, but had spent countless hours fending off the old man's sexual advances. She had refused him at every turn. At first she had been afraid of the letch, afraid if she didn't give in he would kill her. Soon she realized that she had the power to sway him with a look; to disarm him with a swing of her hips, or the slightest brush of her breasts against his arm. After that, she lost her fear, which, for a Sith, was the last thing a master wanted his apprentice to lose. Soon, she was doing her own research and missions and learning at the same exceptional pace that had vaulted her out the academy ahead of her peers. With prodigious skill she surpassed Darth Onamu's ability but kept her progress hidden for fear that he would find some way to kill her.

The end had come more swiftly than she had thought it would. She had come back from a mission with…different results that had been desired by the Council and Darth Onamu had borne the brunt of their wrath. Enraged at her supposed failure, Onamu had demanded her obedience, which, in his mind, meant sexual submissiveness. Her refusal sparked his attack. He drew his saber and went for the kill. It had taken Kaliya all of a second to draw her saber and decapitate the man. Thus had begun her ignominious rise to the attention of the Council. Now, a week later, they had summoned her to meet with them.

As she approached the massive doors that led to the chamber a tingle of fear gripped her and she stopped short. Two Marauders, dressed in black with masks, open the door with the Force and watched her, motionless. With purpose, she squashed the fear and strode into the room, the door closing behind her. All was dark save for nine ornate candles in a semicircle in front of her: four on her right, four on her left, one – for the ever absent Emperor – in front of her and raised above the rest.

"Stand in the circle, apprentice Tosk." This from one of the Lords behind the candles.

She moved forward to stand in the circle, right in the middle of the floor.

"Do you know why you have been summoned?" This one from a different Lord. Concern fidgeted in her. How should she answer? This must be about Darth Onamu, but she wasn't sure what they wanted. It could be that they wanted further explanation of her mission. Or perhaps they had another purpose. There were several possibilities. What was the truth here?

"No." She said, and meant it.

"No?" Came a female voice. "Do you mock us _apprentice_? Surely you understand the gravity of the situation before you?"

"If you refer to my former master's demise, then I defer to your opinion my Lords."

"Defer to _our_ opinion she does!" A new voice; enraged. "You know _nothing_ of our opinion girl! Our opinion may be to sever your head from your body or rip your soul from its flesh!"

"Tread carefully, apprentice Tosk." The female voice again.

Kaliya took a deep breath, "I am a servant of the Council's. Do with me as you wish. To clarify, I am confused as to my presence." It was the truth of the moment; the safest thing she had to offer right now.

"Tell us of your master's death." This one was quieter and to the far right of her. A deep gravelly voice.

"As you know, Lords, I recently returned from a mission in the Qorlath system and – ."

"A failed mission!" This from the angry one.

"Let her speak," said a different female voice, "continue, apprentice."

"Though I did not retrieve the Republic data core, as commanded, my mission was not a failure."

Three weeks ago Kaliya had been assigned to bring back a Republic data core on a derelict ship in the Qorlath system – a remote system in the void between Hutt space and the Tion cluster. The data core had allegedly contained encryption codes for the Republic fleet. She was ordered to bring them back. Kaliya had been suspicious of the mission from the very start. Why would the Republic leave such valuable information out in the middle of nowhere for just anyone to pick up? But her master insisted that it was of highest priority. So she complied. It had been a trap, of course, set up by space bandits. Onamu had not been pleased and had accused her of negligence, hypothesizing that the bandits had beaten her to the prize and outwitted her. Such was his report to the Council. But the respite he sought by shifting the blame on her was not to be found. The Council had seen her "failure" as a result of poor teaching and chastised him. He, in turn, had sought to chastise her and had, instead, met his end.

"How did your master die?" The gravelly voice again.

"I bested him in combat," Kaliya replied.

"Lies! Onamu was no fool and certainly not to be bested by _you_!" Again, the angry one.

"Perhaps it was treachery?" This time a new voice. Silky and vibrant it was like music in Kaliya's ears. "Or sorcery? Did you weaken him somehow, girl?"

"No."

"Perhaps it was something else that distracted him!" She felt a spike of joy. Apparently, the angry one took a certain delight in his attacks. "Perhaps the lure of your bed, which has been warmed by so many others!"

Kaliya felt the Council's collective glee in the Force and was surprised at how much that comment stung her. That the Council believed her to be a whore was the last thing she wanted. Kaliya was cognizant of her beauty and used it as a weapon against lesser foes but Onamu had never been to her bed. No one had. And reasons that greatly vexed her, Kaliya wanted the Council to know that.

She was about to reply when the Force went silent. A heavy coldness filled the room and pressed down upon her. The lights dimmed and her vision blurred. For a fleeting moment Kaliya thought the Council was doing this but realized that their Force-presence was quiet, demurred almost. Confused Kaliya fought back. She would not be taken without a fight. Her vision cleared but the heaviness continued.

**"We know you Kaliya Tosk."**

The voice had come from nowhere and everywhere at once.

"**We know the desires of your heart. We know your weaknesses. We know your strengths. And we feel your **_**power**_**."**

The voice slinked around her through the darkness like a mist. What was this? Some sort of test? Was it an attack? Should she move to defend herself? Kaliya bit back a reply and sought patience. If there was one thing that Onamu had taught her it was patience. Patience, he had said, was a virtue that all Sith should master. Patience gave way to victory. Patience allowed passion to build and anger and resentment to feed. Patience was the greatest ally of the Dark Side. She smiled wryly to herself at the irony. He was right, despite the fact that his patience with her sexual promises had only brought about his death.

**"You are proud of your accomplishments? We know this. We know your ambition. But have you the strength to take what is yours?"**

A shiver rippled through her. What was this? Suddenly, creatures appeared from the ceiling. Long limbed and spider-like in appearance they moved with purpose towards her, mandibles twitching. Bile rose in her stomach as fear threatened to immobilize her. Though she had never seen these creatures before, their very existence made her want to run. As they advanced their eyes bored through her, lulling her to a quick and painless death. An end to the struggles of life. An end to the politics and social maneuvering implicit in the way of the Sith.

She shook herself from the trace and drew her weapon. If the Council wanted her dead so be it, but she would die a warrior and a Sith. Four of the creatures approached her and swiped across her mid-section with claws that tipped each leg, cleaving her in half. But she was already gone. Twisting in the air Kaliya let her anger at the betrayal fuel her power. Reaching out in mid-twist she found an outcropping of stone on the ceiling through the Force and ripped it from its place, hurling it at the spiders. They dance away, spitting some vile smelling liquid in her direction. She landed and vaulted instantly into a back flip as the fluid passed right by where she was.

It hit the ground and hissed violently, burning into the floor. Acid. So, these creatures had five vibroblade sharp claws for feet and could spit acid. She filed the information away in her brain for later use. Pirouetting on her feet she was confronted by three more of the spiders crawling along the walls. She ran for them, building speed with every step. Turning towards her as one they spit acid at her. At the last second she dropped to her knees and slid under the airborne projectile raising her half-lit saber and slicing at the spiders' legs. She got three of them. Unbalanced with the loss of limbs, two of the spiders fell to the ground while the other remained moored to the wall. It was this one she went for. Using the Force she grounded herself to the wall on which the spider hung and began to walk.

It was a technique she had learned from some old scrolls she encountered in the academy library on Korriban. They told of a battle where the fighters of one group scaled a sheer cliff to escape capture. It was unknown how they had done it but Kaliya had been intrigued and had set out to figure out the technique. Her class mates had ridiculed her for trying to learn such a useless tactic. It was a coward's technique. Sith didn't run. As she neared the spider she felt a twinge of vindication about her intuitions concerning this particular trick. But the spider didn't seem phased by her ability. It reared up on two of its remaining legs to slice at her with the other two.

She brought her saber up and sliced through the two limbs, activating the other side just as it lined up with the spiders torso. Acidic innards burst everywhere as the spider's volatile viscera exploded. Kaliya threw up a Force shield and launched herself sideways towards her first four attackers. She was enjoying herself now. A battle, even if it was her last, was always a good thing. The four whole spiders had arranged themselves in a battle pattern waiting for her to land. As she reached the apex of her jump she reached out with her left hand towards the spiders. Blue lighting arched towards them as she focused her fury through her hand. She caught two of the spiders with the lightning, charring them to a crisp.

She realized, too late, however, that she had miscalculated. The spiders had known that she would strike out with the Force and had sacrificed two of themselves to draw off her attention. The other two had spit acid at her which was now almost upon her. Too late to change her trajectory in the air, Kaliya reached out desperately in the Force for an answer. She would not be beaten by anything, much less a creature. Anger coursed through her and in the split second she had left Kaliya defiantly bellowed out a Force-imbued scream that echoed through the Council hall. The acid vanished before her eyes as did the spiders below.

Kaliya landed on the floor of the Council hall confused.

**"Well done apprentice."**

"She has skill."

"And adapts well."

"And more importantly, she is powerful."

"Wait. What's going on?" Confused, Kaliya had lost sense of where she was and who she was talking to. "What was that? Some sort of test?"

**"Be silent, young one."**

The disembodied voice had coalesced into a more tangible sound that came from in front of her. From the darkness a figure walked forward. Kaliya froze. Ice filled her veins and her breath caught in her throat. She kneeled as the figure approached, "Dread Lord," she said, "I am your servant."

The Emperor stood before her, eyes boring into the back of her bowed head. Few people ever spoke to the Sith Emperor and fewer still ever saw him. He was said to be immensely powerful and could kill with a thought. She had thought the tails mythical; designed to entice fear, but being in his presence now, Kaliya wondered.

**"You have done well, Kaliya Tosk."**

"Thank you, Dread Lord," Kaliya replied.

**"Do you now know why you are here?"**

"This was a test."

**"Indeed. Very few people have bested their masters with such ease, as you did. This required a response. Some here would see you dead for your actions. Others wanted to see more of your abilities."**

"And I passed?"

**"Yes."**

Kaliya sat silent. Now what? She wasn't sure what she should do next. Thank him? Rise? What did they expect from her? The snap-hiss of a lightsaber brought Kaliya's head up. Two Marauders stood by the Emperor's side sabers drawn. "Am I to die for my actions, Dread Lord?" But the Emperor wasn't listening. His head was drawn back, his pale face taut, his eyes glazed, searching for something. When he spoke his voice sounded distant. Deeper. As if the whole universe were being focused through his vocal cords.

**"The future is fluid. Events move. Death rages. Pestilence destroys. The Force is not sated. We are Sith. We endure. This one shall be great. Her name will echo throughout the galaxy. Rise, Darth Malefice."**

Kaliya stood, the gravity of the situation finally dawning on her. The Council had not brought her here to interrogate or punish her. They had tested her. _He_ had tested her. The Emperor himself. And she was found worthy. Kaliya could hardly believe it. No, not Kaliya. Not anymore. Darth Malefice, the youngest Sith master in a century.


	2. Chapter 2

_Tython – Jedi Temple_

_3640 B.B.Y._

Sweat poured down Lanaru Ryn's forehead and his muscles screamed their defiance of his movements. _Keep going_, he urged, as he fought head to gain ground on his slower, but much stronger, opponent. A hard push and he was off, leaping through the air and slicing down with his lightsaber, a killing stroke for sure. But his opponent wasn't as slow as he looked. He familiar tug in his stomach, _Oh fek-_, instantly he was pushed across the room, suspended by the Force's lock on his innards.

With effort he righted his path and planted his feet on the ground, pushing off to renew his attack. Speed was his ally. So long as Hutama, his Yinchorri opponent, was prevented from landing blows victory was still in reach. But Hutama was strong in the Force as well and his natural immunity to telekinesis seemed to augment his resistance to other Force powers as well. That the reptilian humanoid was a good meter taller, and about 400 pounds heavier, than him was a sign that he must keep his distance. All in all, the odds weren't great. Still, he was not without some abilities.

He kicked out adding the Force into his momentum and connected with Hutama's chin. That brought about a grunt as the reptilian shifted backward to compensate for the blow. Even in his momentary disorientation, however, Hutama was a Jedi Knight who knew his own weaknesses and had long ago learned to compensate for them. Even as Ryn's heel connected with his chin, Hutama brought up his lightsaber in a powerful diagonal sweep forcing Ryn, in an effort to keep his legs, to leap away.

Hutama was on him as soon as he landed landing blow after blow in Shien-style, battering away at his defenses and forcing him to deflect his strikes left and right, a costly effort on his already flimsy defense. Suited to larger beings like Wookies and Yinchorri, Shien was designed to inflict maximum damage on an opponent's defense, raining blow after heavy blow and devastating any weaker opponent who attempted to weather the strikes. The disadvantage – along with its inherent lack of agility – was that it inflicted a costly side-effect on its user, forcing them to swing hard wore down on the user's stamina.

Master Qworli, the temple's Battle Master, once told Ryn that if he ever encountered a skilled Shien practitioner that he should count himself fortunate if he could simply manage to survive long enough to wind him; which is exactly what Ryn was doing now.

Hutama's blow were coming faster now as he sensed victory, and Ryn was hard pressed to move anywhere that might help him level the playing field. His lightsaber was moving fast, deflecting everything Hutama brought but with each landed blow he felt his muscles strain and protest. With a flurry and a burst of Force energy Ryn delivered a series of quick, twirling strikes towards Hutama's midsection – which he blocked – but which allowed Ryn to strike out with his foot at Hutama's ankle, forcing the giant lizard to step back momentarily. It was all the space Ryn needed, using the brief respite he flipped backward, braced himself on the wall and pushed off hard, somersaulting over Hutama and ran.

Hutama bellowed in frustration, believing Ryn to be fleeing battle but this was hardly the case. Ryn needed space to attempt his last gambit. Spinning around in mid-jump Ryn blasted a Force push in Hutama's direction that briefly slowed him. In that time Ryn bounded off the wall again and shot up into the air. He closed his eyes and let the Force flow through him, filling him with its life-sustaining energy and feeling the hairs on his neck bristle with electricity.

He focused, gathering the Force in concentrated clusters in his hands and behind his eyes, like his Master taught him. He could still hear her voice, _You must Focus, Ryn. Your powers are special and require extra care until you master them. Feel the Force. See the Force._ Ryn prayed it would work. Sometimes it did. Sometimes it didn't. At the apex of his jump, 4 meters above the ground, Ryn opened his eyes to a complex series of red and green and blue lines all intersections each other with other lines of assorted colors lying on top of them or spreading out in a myriad of directions.

They were everywhere sometimes intersecting, sometimes running parallel. At times it looked like a grid with squares or rectangles sitting evenly next to each other. But at seemingly random intervals the lines curved or made sharp turns. Sometimes they changed color, or perhaps it was simply that one color stopped and another continued on. They appeared sometimes from the floor, sometimes from the walls. But most importantly, they often clustered in various ways around living beings; beings like Hutama.

His Master told him that what he was seeing now was called Shatterpoints; lines that existed in the very fabric of reality; microscopic fractures that are normally undetectable except by the most sensitive of instruments. These fractures existed in all things and if one put enough Force-pressure on them – if one squeezed enough Force into them – they would shatter like corroded durasteel.

But the lines weren't always about structural integrity. _Some of the lines you see are fractures in the Force itself, Ryn. For all its power and pervasivness, the Force is fragile. It cannot hold all things together by its will alone. It needs us to help. _By pushing on these types of Shatterpoints Ryn would, in theory, be able to change the events of things to come. Topple future governments, prevent future atrocities, or cause them to come about. He had never done it before. That kind of power unnerved him a bit. But structural power, that he was more than willing to push on.

He focused in on the ground beneath Hutama's feet. There were several points of intersection to choose from but he had to hit the right one. They were constantly changing color, shifting as the Force and the physical world interacted – Force and physics – both trying to maintain control: nature trying to exert entropic destruction, the Force trying to create order. This was the critical point. Which did he choose? He was wrong. A lot. But time was running out. He was falling now.

Yelling out Ryn unleashed the Force blast in his hand in a concentrated flow aimed at one of the Shatterpoints and raised his lightsaber in a defensive posture as he reached Hutama. As expected, Hutama resumed his furious pounding on Ryn's defenses even before he had landed. Slash. Evade. Slash. Block. But on the third stroke something changed. Hutama's aim was way off, high over Ryn's head and seemingly erratic. The Yinchorri released a strained grunt as he struggled to keep his balance on one foot, the floor having collapsed under his left foot. Ryn saw his opening. With supreme effort his lept over Hutama's head and delivered a crushing kick to his head and landed behind him, lightsaber poised to take off the lizard's large head.

"Grrrr. Impresivvvvve Rrrryn." The gravelly voice of Hutama shook his core. "I was wonderrrring what you werrrrrre doinnnnng."

Ryn shook his head. "That was a last ditch effort and, honestly, I wasn't sure it would work. I count myself fortunate. But knowing my luck, in a real battle it would fail, and I would be dead." Hutama had extricated his ankle from the hole beneath him. He gave a low grumble and a snort as he turned to look at Ryn.

"You do yourrrrrslef discredit Rrrrryn." He was dusting off his robe. "Yourrrr skillllls are much betterrrrr than you acknnnowledge. I knnnnow Mmmmaster Shan bbbelieves this as well."

"Yes, Master Hutama."

The Yinchorri pounded his foot in frustration. "Do nnnot do that! We are no differennnt. We cammme here together, rememmmber? Mmmmany seasonnns ago. I am nnno mmmaster to you."

Bitterness welled up in Ryn, but he let it pass over him and sighed. "You are a good friend, Hutama. But that does not make my position any more agreeable. I am the only of our classmates still living that has not achieved Master status. That must say something about me."

"It says only that you have a different path than the rest of us. Some, the Force destines to be Masters; to be leaders of others; to send others to their deaths." At this he paused. "And others," he continued after a moment, "must follow the less travelled path. Have you considered your Path recently? What you will do?"

Ryn stiffened. "I will do as the Force wills, my friend, as we all do." He turned, "Thank you for the sparring match, Hutama. It was very helpful for me. If you will excuse me, though, I have a meeting with Master Kryll that must get to."

There was a brief silence where Hutama simply looked at Ryn, reading him in the Force. Then with a grunt that might have been the Yinchorri version of a sigh, he turned and walked out of the sparring arena.

Ryn sat in his small room warring with himself. He shouldn't have been so terse. After all, Hutama wasn't the cause of his troubles. His comment about "Paths" had been in reference to the Choosing, a colloquial term adopted by the Knights designating the specialization that you planned to master. Padawans who became Knights traditionally chose their specialization right away but the Sith War had caused many deaths among Knights and so Padawans were being called up in groups rather than on an individual basis. These new Knights were given a few years of experience before being forced to "choose" their specialization. It sounded grim, but, according his master, the Council reasoned that any Knight who survived after a few years of experience was more than capable of choosing the path that best suited them.

Ryn had survived, and so chosen. In his idealism and vigor he has chosen Guardian, of course. He wanted to be a weapon master, a lightsaber specialist who knew all the forms and mastered every concept. He had been so excited, but it was in vain. He excelled in technique and knowledge, but was unsuited to battle like a typical Guardian. He didn't have the stamina other Jedi had. He fell behind and soon was approached by one of the Master who advised him to reconsider his choice.

Feeling already that he was in the wrong place he agreed and opted for Consular, with ambitions of being an ambassador. Again, he poured his heart into it and, in the beginning, did very well. He was great at reading people and had a talent for using the Force for sifting through lies to find the truth. But he was not great with people. Sure, he knew how to talk, and casual conversation came easy to him. But when he was in a situation where deception was being practiced, strange things happened to him. His perception changed. People became blurred. His vision would darken and his eyes would go fuzzy. It was so distracting that he often lost concentration – or his temper – and the situation was hopeless.

He lasted a while and learned a great deal about the Force but found he was unsuited for the work and pulled himself out of it. Dispirited, he sought guidance from the High Council but they seemed to preoccupied with the war to give any solid advise. After a while they said they and would summon him after they deliberated. The resulting meeting was not what he had expected. He was to be placed "under the supervision of Master Shan, who would guide him in the path she deemed right."

He had reeled with shock. After all his hard work, months of training in various areas of the Jedi way, he was to be essentially _demoted_ back to a Padawan state! But shock quickly turned into anger. _The shriknas these so-called "masters" had! _They had never asked him about his trainings, never sought the extent of his knowledge, never once asked what_ he_ wanted. Now he was to have an official master again? At the age of 26? Granted, it was Master Shan, the greatest master in the Order and one of the most powerful in history, but still!

But his "apprenticeship" with Master Shan had been anything but typical interactions between Padawan and Master. She was wise and knew the ways of the Force well. Hell, it seemed like she knew _him_ better than he knew himself. She had incredible insight into his difficulties.

"_Why do you think you had trouble with the Paths, Ryn?"_

"_I don't know Master Shan. I just had concentration issues. It was like every time I had to focus really hard on using the Force to get anything done I couldn't concentrate."_

"_And your vision? What about that?"_

"_Again, it's a mystery. I had issues with it when I was young but it went away. I have had the Healers check me out a dozen times but they don't see any problems. Stang!"_

"_What?"_

"_Sorry. It's just…something that happened…the other day."_

_Silence._

_Ryn sighed. "I walked into the dormitories the other day and everyone went quiet and looked away. They were talking about me. I know it! They think I am a wash out. Not fit for the Order."_

"_And? What do you think?"_

"_Maybe they are right. Maybe I should just go home. Maybe enlist. Help the Republic that way."_

But Master Shan would have none of that. With a flash she had her lightsaber out and was on him. He only narrowly escaped her slash at his head before ducking away. Igniting his lightsaber he parried her strikes. This went on for a few minutes and then, without a word, she stopped.

_"If you were not fit for the Order, you would have died just now."_

_ "I….I….What was…How…I."_

With that she had walked away and he took her point to heart. He was a Jedi. Nothing would change that. But as much as he wanted to be a "typical" Jedi, it wasn't going to happen.

_"Why did you want to be a Guardian?"_

_ "In truth?" He sighed. "Part of it was the glory. You know, go to battle and kill Sith. Protect the Republic. Become a great saber dualist. Be feared by evildoers. All that."_

_ "Does it have to do with your parents?"_

_ Ryn jerked his head to stare at her. "I…I don't know what you're talking about."_

_ Master Shan smiled at this. "I am referring to the fact that both of your parents were "Imperials" and that your mother was a Dark Side user."_

_ Ryn exhaled heavily. "How do you know this?" It was a foolish question really. She was Grand Master. She knew a lot of things._

_ "Never mind that. Answer the question. Does the reality of your parents identity affect your desires?"_

_ "Yes. It does. I don't want to be like them. I don't want to live in the Dark Side. I don't want to trample over those weaker than I am to gain power. I want to stop them." He was on a role now. "I want make sure that no one else is hurt by their greed or lust for power! To do that I need to be active! I need to be great."_

_ After this they sat for a long time in silence. At length, she said, "The nature of most sentient cultures is structure. Structure allows us to have order, and order brings peace. The Republic and even the Jedi Order is built on this foundation. The Republic has a Senate, that governs and creates rules. These rules are _structured_ to work together harmoniously, giving each person under the system equal opportunity. From the Senate you have planets-systems, which have their own governments, and from there individual planets, then nations or states or provinces, then cities. Smaller and smaller they go. The Jedi have a Council which governs everyone. From there you have Masters, Knights, and Padawans. In the system Jedi are encouraged to choose where they believe they fit best. When people are doing what the Force wills for them, they are happy; and with happiness comes peace."_

_ "I guess that is why I am not at peace. The system is broken."_

_ She laughed at this; a bright tickling laughter with resonance like sound passing through a crystal. "Jedi at your age always believe the system is broken, unjust in some way. Perhaps you are right. The unfortunate truth is that structure, order, ultimately leaves no room for variance. Anything that doesn't fit is marginalized. Does this undo all the good that the structure does? No. But still doesn't account for the injustice that it causes to some."_

_ Resentment welled up in Ryn. "So you're just saying I should just accept it and move on?"_

_ Now Master Shan grew very serious. "Absolutely not. Injustice is never acceptable. It breeds contempt and hatred which are paths to the Dark Side. What I am saying, Ryn, is that despite the Jedi Order's adherence to its system of operation, _I _recognize, as does the Council, that there _are_ those of us who do not fit correctly in it. You are such a person. And so, we, you and I, are going to do our best to find a place in the Order for you to be successful and to serve the Force faithfully."_

They met over and over. Day after day. Week after week. For four months they worked together. When she had a mission to go on, he accompanied her just like a Padawan would, though it was clear she did not think of him as a Padawan. Sometimes they talked, other times meditated, still other times they did obscure training exercises. It was these exercises, which at first had seemed pointless, that had eventually led them to discover his "talent." He would never forget the day.

_"I was speaking to a friend of mine the other day and she gave me an idea that I want to try. It will be a bit draining though. Are you up for it?"_

_ "Of course. Anything to pass the time in hyperspace. I find these long trips to Coruscant tedious."_

_ She nodded. "Mmmm. At times I do as well. But good relations between the Jedi and the Republic are at the core of the Order's reason for existing. Now, sit over here, facing me."_

_ They were in the lounge cabin of their ship, a modified _Eta_-class Jedi ambassador shuttle. It only fit three or four people max so it was a little too cramped for any real training exertions. The lounge consisted of a small booth and table for eating, a kitchenette for preparing meals and a few seats next to the windows for bored passengers. But the center of the space, where he was now sitting facing Master Shan, was clear._

_ "This is primarily a concentration exercise. Pull the Force into you. Breath it into your system and let it fill you up completely, but do not let it out. Keep letting it build. I will do it with you."_

_ Ryn closed his eyes and began his meditation. He opened himself up to the Force, basking in its radiance and warmth and letting its power flow through him. He was a conduit, a bridge between the ship and the Force. He inhaled it through his body and let it flow from every orifice and pore. Then slowly he began to close those openings. The Force flowed into him, but not out. It was like a damn holding back the water. It wasn't normal. As the Force built inside him he felt feverish. His skin prickled and beads of sweat formed on his skin. _

_ Despite his concentration he began to feel a pressure on his consciousness. At first it had been too small to notice but now he was sure it was there. Like a bubble pushing against him and expanding the pressure increased. It dawned on him that it had to be Master Shan's presence in the Force as she gathered the energy into her own body. Except hers was nothing like his own. Hers was massive, and growing at an impossible rate._

_ He concentrated harder, not wanting to look weak in front of her. Bracing himself he plunged into the current of the Force and felt icy-hot as its energy cascaded into him, pressing at the very seams of his body. Every molecule of his being was being supercharged and bloated with the Force flowing into, but not out of, his seated form. The pain was excruciating but with it came a sense of euphoria. He was very nearly now one with the Force. He body was almost to the point of dissolving into that blissful flow of energy that animated all things. He wanted to slip away. Become one. Become whole…._

_ "RYN!"_

_ Master Shan's voice came crashing over him and in that instance he opened his eyes and unleashed the pent up energy trapped in his fleshy frame. The torrent of energy was agonizing to his hands, feet, and skin but all of it was forgotten when he opened his eyes. The ship was gone, hidden by a dizzying array of colors, lines and shapes all mingling in various ways to form patterns. The lines shot out in every color from everywhere twisting and turning into shapes and other atypical geometric forms and then suddenly dissipating in a cloud of energy that lingered. Everywhere around him was a haze of light and energy and in the middle of it all, shining like a star was Master Shan._

_ The aura that surrounded her was intense. She was literally glowing. Her skin had a bluish color that faded and changed randomly between green and yellow with hints of purple. Her eyes were blazing white and looking straight at him, maybe even through him. All around her the colored lines swirled and twisted sometimes touching her and running along the frame of her body, other times passing right through her but always circling, like florescent strings being whipped about by the wind._

_ Then everything went dark._

When Ryn woke, three days later, he had found Master Shan waiting for him in the medical wing of the Jedi Temple. She had explained to him what happened; how he had pulled too much Force into him without an outlet, how his body had literally fluctuated in and out of corporealness until she called out to him and he let it all out, and how he had passed out afterwards. She had apologized and said it was a foolish idea. But he had disagreed.

He told her about what he saw, the lines, the haze, the shapes, the colors. How the ship had receded into the background while the Force that held it together became dominant in his vision. How even she had taken on a new appearance, a reflection of her manifestation in the Force itself. She had listened intently for over an hour, asking him questions about every detail he remembered. Afterwards, she left him to rest.

A week later Master Shan had expressed a certain level of confusion over his experience. The lines were easy to explain. They were known as Shatterpoints. Only a few Jedi in known history had the ability to see Shatterpoints and he was blessed by the Force to have the talent. But this ability did not explain everything Ryn had described to her – the dissipation of the lines, the colors, and the shapes – nor did it account for the difficulty Ryn had with his concentration during his training in the Paths – a trouble now decisively linked to his abilities. So she had set up an appointment for Ryn to meet with the Temple's scientist Jedi Myami Kryll. That appointment was right now.

Ryn got up from his bed slowly. It had been a long few months and he was tired. Fortunately, things finally looked like they were getting better. Sure, he was an anomaly. Sure, he didn't fit into the Jedi Order in a typical way. Sure, he didn't have a whole lot of friends and everyone thought he was a bit of a loner. But he would find some way to use the Force and help the Order and the Republic and perhaps this ability, if trained right, would help him turn the tide of the War back in their favor.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter One

_Dromund Kaas_

_3640 B.B.Y_

Leequ Mal could feel the pulse rising in the veins of his neck as he climbed the stairs to Darth Malefice's chambers, but it was not from exertion. His pace was measured, his demeanor controlled. The heels from his black boots clicked upon the stairs at a steady pace and in his excitement he drew heavily on the Force, adding to his step an odd, energetic bounce. His long dark hear was smoothed back behind his ears and his close trim apprentice outfit was snug against his ribs. On the outside, all was calm and to the odd passerby he looked everything a Sith apprentice should: ambitious, ruthless, and powerful.

But the fact was, it took all his willpower not to take the steps three at a time. Simply being near Malefice, able to drinking in her luscious beauty and bask in the awful radiance she emitted, was a rare treat for him, but being alone with her, in her personal chambers no less, was nothing short of a dream come true. He smiled to himself as he remembered the first day that he saw her, a day that the Force had imprinted onto his memory forever.

He had been among the first from his class selected to be an apprentice to a Master. It was a great honor. Greater still was the honor of being chosen to be apprenticed to Darth Cratylus, a powerful Master who held a place on the Dark Council. He was the envy of all the students. He pledged his allegiance to his new Master and the Emperor and from then on he was no longer a student, but a Sith. The ceremonies were always brief, just enough to display to the younger students the importance of doing well, to impress upon them the fruits of hard work.

Cratylus had commanded him to gather his effects and meet him in his chambers for his first assignment. That order would change his life forever. He had arrived to find a woman in his new Master's chambers. A woman unlike any he had ever seen before. She stood nearly as tall as he, 5'10" he guessed. She had dark hair, not black as many Sith had, but a deep mahogany color, brown with light shades of red streaked through. Her face was perfect. Not the manufactured perfection that one saw at the parties of the elite military, but pure, natural perfection. She had barely discernable cheekbones a shade below her ears; her jawline was rounded out a small point just below her mouth; her lips was red and supple, moist with the hint of vitality.

More than her face, however, her body was utterly divine. If Leequ had believed in gods he might have thought she was one of them. Flawless legs – what he could see of them – long and muscular showing clear signs that she was in excellent physical shape; balanced hips, strong but strikingly feminine; a waist that nearly made Leequ light-headed and perfect, absolutely perfect breasts – at least, he was sure they were underneath the clothing.

Only later did he learn that she was a powerful Sith Lord with prodigious strength and not to be bothered by lowly apprentices. This had only increased her perfection in his eyes. From the moment he heard this he knew she would be his someday. Gone were his desires of power and strength for their own gain. He now only sought her. He would do whatever it took to prove his worth to her as a Sith. He would devastate planets, slaughter armies, topple Emperors, anything to be with her. He shook his head to clear the memory. He must not be too distracted. Though he had longed to be with Darth Malefice he knew that he needed to prove himself. That would take time and patience, both of which he had.

In his distraction and enthusiasm to be with Malefice he forgot to knock on her door. Barging into her chambers he took three steps and stumbled, glimpsing Malefices' naked form descend to the floor bath that took up a third of her chambers. His vision blurred – whether from the steam or the sudden restriction of blood to his eyes he was not sure. He quickly righted himself and stood motionless, waiting for her acknowledgement and reprimand. It never came.

"Hello Leequ." She said lazily, "Come in service to your Master?"

"Dark Lady, I live only to serve." _You_, he thought, and boldly let the sentiment ring in the Force. "I have come with summons from Darth Cratylus. The Dark Council meets to discuss an important premonition that the Emperor has had and requires your presence."

She sighed. "As you see, I have only just begun to have a bath."

She had yet to look at him since he had entered the room. But her tone was one of awful playfulness. He drew a step closer. "I, uh, yes I see. I…suppose I could relay your message to my Master." He did not want to. To do so would certainly be met with a harsh punishment. But he would do it if it meant she finished this _very important _bath, and if he got to watch her a little bit longer.

Her tone turned harder. "No. Do not. That will only bring unwanted….complications on yourself." The playfulness was gone now. "I will be done shortly at which time I will find your Master."

She looked him now for the first time. "Do you know what this is about? Anything that might prepare me?" Her liquid blue eyes – so different than any other Sith – brought him to the edge of sanity. How he longed to be in that bath as well. Curse the water and this steam for blurring the outline of her body in the water. "No, I regret that I do not."

"A pity." She turned from him. "Very well. Go now. Tell your Master I will be there shortly."

He turned and walked towards the door, hearing as he reached it, the unmistakable sound of her exit from the water. "Leequ?"

He hesitated, not knowing if he should turn. "Yes, Dark Lady?"

"Please keep the door open, I am hot and need to cool down." His blood turned to lava in his veins.

"I live to serve, Dark Lady." With that he left the room, paused to collect himself at the top of the stairs, and began the painful journey away from Malefice's room.

Malefice sighed as Leequ Mal stumbled from the room, weak in the knees. She had known of his affections for her the moment he strode into Darth Cratylus' room with all the energy of the universe in his steps and the ambition of a Sith in his eyes. She could vividly remember watching the transformation happen in him in the few minutes that encompassed their first encounter: first confusion over her appearance, which quickly gave way to appropriate Sith cynicism, which was gradually replaced by lust, greed, and desire, all of which radiated off him in waves through the Force.

At the time she had been simply annoyed, yet another admirer who would never leave her alone, and she prepared for the inevitable onslaught of seductive charms, subtle innuendo, or even bold advances that usually accompanied men meeting her for the first time. His first pass had been bumbling enough to evoke a wry smile from her, which had only encouraged him to press on. She had had to shock him with Force lightning in order to check his advances.

After that first experience, she had expected some amount of fear or hatred from him, again, another frequently experienced side-effect of her beauty. But she had been surprised when he demurred to her on every occasion that they met. He remained silent except when spoken to by her, he offered sound advice and knew how to take criticism and make himself better. She could appreciate that. Thus had begun their three year "relationship" wherein she offered subtle glimpses and mental suggestions of the pleasures life might contain if he were with her. In this way she gained his loyalty, something that had gained her valuable information about his master.

"Is there anything you need, my Lady?" Ji'inara said.

"Did you not hear the boy? I am to meet with his _majesty_ and the Emperor's lackies shortly." She looked confused. Not a bright one this slave was. Malefice glowered at her. "Get my clothes slave! The formal suit. And be quick about it!"

Ji'inara scampered off to do her duties and escape the wrath building her master. Malefice rolled her eyes. Though the **Devaronian** female was slow she was efficient; a good slave all things considered. Her dim-witted nature was usually just an annoyance but now that was heightened by her anxiety about appearing before the Dark Council.

She was stressed. Six montsh ago the Emperor had placed her in charge of the on-going negotiations with the Hapes Consortium, a small cluster of stars that sat directly between Repbulic and Sith space. The negotiations were important because they would increase their military size by 50% and provide a good staging ground for incursions into Republic space. She was chosen, ironically enough, because of her looks. The women of Hapes had been bred over the last few millennia to be extremely beautiful women. It was even rumored that the Emperor himself had had secret liaisons with one of the princesses.

In addition to this, Hapes was a Matriarchy, run by an Empress, whose husband was sort of a "trophy" to show off before others. Malefice's beauty and power amongst the Sith, especially at such a young age, was meant to evoke the similarities between Hapes and the Empire in order to foster better negotiations.

It had worked to a point. The Happen royalty had been much more agreeable to her presence than to the previous Sith Lord. Moreover, she had discovered a natural gift for negotiations; she had the ability to effectively convince parties to get along and agree, cutting the heart of the matter in a way that made her invaluable to both sides. Despite this, however, the Hapans had been reticent to join the Empire's cause, a fact which Cratylus hadn't let her forget and which the Emperor was increasingly less happy about.

Again she sighed, and began to dress, Ji'inara helping her with the complicated ceremonial garment designed to show off her best features. She hoped it would distract enough for her to defend herself against whatever baseless allegations were coming here way from some jealous Master. But she knew it was a foolish hope. These were the greatest Master's in the galaxy, they would not be fooled by her appearance. And yet, there were times when she saw Cratylus' gaze linger….

She shook her head. She must remain focused. Turning, she looked down at Ji'inara who was strapping her legs properly into the tight leather than made up the body-suit. "When you are done prepare my baggage for my trip to Hapes. It is time to make some progress on these dealings of ours." Ji'inara nodded in response, "Yes, Lady Malefice." With luck and the Force on her side she would push through the Hapans' reluctance and with such a triumph in her hands how could she be denied a spot on the Dark Council. But things needed to go very well.

"You have failed this Council and the Emperor and in doing have demonstrated your weakness!" Darth Karakh screamed. He was livid, his face taut with rage, veins in his neck and forehead erupted on the surface of his drawn, waxy skin. But then, he was always angry; always looking for someone to rage against and intimidate in order to feed his ego. Under the surface, though, Malefice knew he was weak. The man's confidence came only from his terrorizing others who were weaker than he and from putting on blustery airs like he was doing now. But they were nothing. He was nothing. No substance. No power. No will. And so Malefice had no fear.

"You are mistaken, Darth Karakh," she said with a cool demeanor, "I have not failed in my attempts with the Hapans. I have garnered their good will towards us by aiding them in their governmental troubles," a trifle, really, entirely unintended by her but fortunate all the same, "and have thwarted several attempts by the Republic of drawing up alliances with them. We have seen far more gain in the negotiations in the last 6 months than in the previous 2 years." That was subtle dig at him since he had been one of the ones in charge of the negotiations before her.

Karakh eyes blazed with hatred but his intended tirade was cut off. "It is true that you have made progress, Darth Malefice." Darth Ioni slinked from the darkness towards where she stood in the center of the room. The Zeltronian Sith Lord's voice was like the sound of rain on water. It soothed and lulled its listener into feeling at ease.

"And we have watched you with care. Why, it would be irresponsible on our part not to observe the Emperor's pet as she worked her magic." Ioni brushed against hands against the outline of Malefice's body, tracing the edge of her sides up to her shoulders as she passed behind her. The pheromones her species put off filled Malefice's sense. For males the pheromones distracted their attention, making them focus on her body than on her hands, which were usually reaching for her lightsaber. For women the pheromones were a relaxant that's evolutionary development reduced the conflict between two female Zeltron's attracting one male Zeltron. The pheromones simply lessened another female's desire to care about anything at the present moment.

Ioni leaned in close to her left ear and an explosion of smells entered her nostrils each one assaulting her ability to think straight. "But you will not be the Emperor's favorite forever, Darth Malefice. Indeed, you time as his whore may be running out."

These last words snapped Malefice from here light trance. Fury coursed through her and she gave a violent push in the Force and sent an electric surge through her body, zapping Ioni whose mouth had been a little too close to her skin. The Zeltronian gave a muffled cry and was pushed back a few feet. She disappeared into the darkness again, but Malefice could feel her anger radiating through the Force.

"If this is why I have come here, to be talked down to by those too weak to take power for themselves then we are done." This was brave. Too brave. Granted, only half the Dark Council was here, but they could destroy her if they banded together. But the anger of Ioni's taunt still lingered and made her bold. "If you are in need of topics of conversation then let us turn to Darth Aklor's failed attempt on Ordis 9, or Darth Tryll's disaster in the battle of Malachor V. Those are true failures, as are your vain attempts at implicating me in a failure that hasn't even happened yet."

To the right of her she heard the sound of clapping. Out of the darkness strode a tall, dark haired man. Dressed to the neck in an armored suit he stood out as a beacon in the Force. Dark energy radiated around him and the darkness itself seemed to feed on his power. His hair was short; cropped to his ears and he was a mischievous grin on his face as he walked forward, his hand at his sides close to his lightsaber, which hung loosely on his belt.

"Darth Cratylus." She bowed. "Given that you sent your apprentice to get me I was surprised when you were not here."

He returned the bow. _Always the appearance of deference_, she thought, _But I am not fooled by your charade_. Cratylus turned to his fellow Masters. "She is right, of course, my friends. And we all know it."

The five Master's – now six – in the room grumbled agreement. Cratylus turned back to her. "But they are right also." She felt the room's collective rise in excitement. "It is true you have made progress with the Hapans and the Emperor sees this. But it still takes too long. The Republic is consolidating its forces and the Jedi are gaining strength. Almost gone is the advantage we gained in destroying the temple. It has been over a decade and we are in no better position now than we were five years ago. Soon we will act and it is imperative that we have the Hapans on our side." Sober murmurs of approval echoed in the room.

Malefice knew what Cratylus said was true. "You are right, my Lord. Even now my slave prepares for my journey to the Tion Cluster. I vow that I will have the treaty soon, and if not, Hapes will regret their refusal."

"No. You will not." Silence. Cratylus was looking directly at her; his eyes fixed on hers. He was gauging her.

"I do not understand."

"The Emperor has a more important task for you. Darth Ioni will be taking your place." Glee filled the Force from the darkness to her right but Malefice was too angry to care.

"A more important task? What could be more important than this!"

"We have received word through our spy network of an ancient temple that bears the marks of the galaxy's oldest Force users. The Emperor is convinced that this temple is one of an early Dark Side user. One of our ancient predecessors. The message has also convinced the Dread Lord that the temple is of Carnass Muir, a pioneer of Sith alchemy, whose knowledge might help us raise an army of Sith Spawn to aid our cause."

The room was filled with excitement and greed. A secret such as this would be enough to win the war. It would be a valuable find. But what were the facts? How did the Emperor know? Why was Cratylus being so cagey? Something didn't feel right about this.

"But why must I go? We need these Hapan troops and I have already built rapport with the Royal family. It must be me! Send Ioni to this temple and let her wiles be practiced on the stones there, for all the good they will do her." Amusement at the verbal jab filled the room, but she knew that with that comment she had made Ioni a permanent and dangerous foe.

"Silence!" All laughter ceased and the Force went still. "The Emperor has spoken. Let it be done. Darth Malefice and I will go to this temple and divine its secrets. Darth Ioni will go to the Tion Cluster to sign a treaty with the Hapans. Our strength will clear our path and the Dark Side will be our weapon. Now go." With that the meeting was over and the Master's left the room. Only Cratylus and Malefice remained.

She was frustrated. Where had this mission come from? Why so sudden? Did the Emperor _really_ think this was that important or was she being put away because of a perceived failure? Emotions roiled within her.

"Be at ease Malefice. You still have the Emperor's ear. He has not forgotten your strength or your power." He smiled at her.

_He is amused by this!_ She gathered herself and released the tension in her body, relaxing a little. "I am just…confused by the suddenness of this mission. What is the nature of the message? Who is Carnass Muir? I have never read of him before. And how can we be sure that what we go to seek is, in fact, there?"

They walked from the room, passing the Marauders who guarded the chambers, and began walking the long hall to the Nexus, the central foyer of the Temple. "In truth I know very little of it. The Emperor is playing this close. He…believes that there is something of some power, an amulet or stone, that will help us. He has stated that the Force showed him a vision of hidden power located on a distant planet. This, apparently, came in concert with the report of the archeological findings. More than that I cannot say."

Malefice frowned. Cratylus was being too open about this. He was usually an unreadable wall of Force energy; a bubble that even her charms could not break. But here he was now discussing intimate dealings with the Emperor? Either he was unsure of their mission too or he was trying to gain her trust. But for what?

They turned into the Nexus and were immediately accosted by the sound of lightsabers clashing. Malefice turned and saw two red sabers dueling in the middle of the room, surrounded by watchers. "Another one," she said and Cratylus rolled his eyes with disgust.

Duels were becoming a frequent occurrence in the Temple in the last few months. For many years this had not been the case. With the war against the Republic occupying so many minds everyone was of sound heart and unified goal: destroy the Jedi. But after a decade of little fighting the Sith had become restless. Inner turmoil began to grip the younger, more brash Sith. Insults were made. Offense was taken. Battles were had. Sith were lost. It was a cycle that disturbed Malefice more than she was willing to admit. They were at war! These Sith should be unified, not slaughtering one another.

The two of them moved closer along the edge of the crowd gathered and watched. The two young Sith were both fighting in Form III, moving aggressively against each other with every stroke; counter, slash, counter, pivot, counter, parry. They were competent in their forms but the fight was pitiful. They both focused solely on their lightsaber technique to the neglect of their Force powers. There was no **Dün Moch**, no attention given to anything other than their strikes and parries.

"This is disgraceful," Malefice said, trying to put some sarcasm in her voice. "They aren't even _good_ at it! The least they could do is offer the common courtesy of making the show worth the time." She looked over at Cratylus and frowned. He was looking very intently at the fight, his face twisted into a sneer.

"Things like this are tearing the Sith apart." He was angry. She could feel it. His Force aura started swelling. "We cannot afford this!" His voice had risen to a fevered pitch and it shook with rage. Sith who stood near them, apprentices and Master's alike, stepped back, some turned and left, not wanting to see the coming wrath Cratylus would pour out. And pour it out he did.

"WE ARE SITH!"

Malefice braced herself, raising a shield just as the blast he was building let loose. A massive wave of Force energy ripped through the immediate area, tearing up the ground, loosening rocks from the ceiling and toppling the massive statues that surrounded the Nexus. People in the immediate vicinity were thrown 30 yards away, rolling through the air uncontrollably. Even the more powerful Sith were able to stand their ground. Only Cratylus and Malefice remained rooted where they were.

When the dust cleared there were four people left: her, Cratylus, and the two Sith who had been fighting. They were suspended in the air before Cratylus who was holding them in an invisible Force grip.

"WE ARE SITH!"

The two gurgled as Cratylus clamped down on their necks with the Force.

"We fight Jedi! We fight smugglers! We fight the Republic! We fight anyone who would stand in the way of OUR power! WE DO NOT FIGHT EACH OTHER!" As he said these words the young Sith at his mercy shook and Malefice could hear the distinct sound of bones – vertebrae likely – snapping. After a moment the two dropped to the floor. Silence filled the Nexus those who had been witnesses came to grips with the lesson visited upon them. Cratylus let it sink it.

He turned to her, lines tracing his forehead, all the color drained from his already pale face. "Meet me in docking bay 16 in one hour. We depart for our mission."

She gave him a slight bow. "As you wish Dark Lord." With that she turned and walked to her chambers.


End file.
